Reunited
by emmareden
Summary: 5 years on - the reunion of Meghan Smith with Rose Baker as she's graduating college. They've kept in contact via email but seeing each other after so long takes them in an unexpected direction.


**A/N: So there are so few privileged fics' out there that I needed to do one. If anyone actually reads this and wants more, please let me know because otherwise I'll probably just keep writing this for myself lol! Anyway, it's set 5ish years in the future (I don't know the American schooling system so forgive if the timeline doesn't quite add up) when Rose is graduating from Duke! **

Reunited

Rose took her certificate with a wide smile on her face. Looking out into the crowd, her eyes settled on her family; Laurel and Sage. Laurel wiped a tear from her eye and even Sage looked emotional. Rose felt the tears prick her own eyes as her eyes found Meghan near the back of the crowd. Rose beamed; she was glad her old tutor had been able to make it. After all, she mightn't even be here without Meghan.

* * *

Rose excused herself once Laurel's friends had her engaged enough in conversation not to notice her granddaughter slink off. Rose stood on her tiptoes, scanning the crowd. She bit her lip as she squinted. Ah!

"Meghan!"

Meghan smiled as she spotted Rose, "Rose! Congratulations," she pulled the younger woman into a tight hug, "I am so, so proud of you. You're amazing."

Rose couldn't keep the smile off her face as her cheeks took on a red tint, "Well, I couldn't have done it without you, Meghan. Really, thank you. You're the one whose amazing."

Meghan waved a dismissive hand, "Oh, it's all you, Rose. You did all the hard work!"

Rose shrugged, "Yeah but you… you put up with a lot of crap from us… "

Meghan squeezed her shoulder, "You were totally worth it."

"You pushed me when I needed it," Rose said earnestly, "I really do owe you. I'm so glad Laurel hired you, did I ever tell you that? I know we weren't always…grateful, especially Sage," she chuckled as Meghan pulled a face, "but I really, really, really – "

"Really?" Meghan laughed.

"Really," Rose emphasised one last time, "appreciate it."

"I know you do," Meghan replied honestly, "You know, that experience is still up there with the most…" she searched for the right word.

"Painful?" Rose joked.

Meghan rolled her eyes, "Eye opening," she settled on, "situation I was ever put in. It was confronting, obviously, but seeing you girls grow, especially you Rose, was one of the most rewarding things I've ever done."

Rose smiled, "Oh yeah, but you work for that magazine now, right? I mean, beats tutoring, right?"

Meghan laughed, "Well, yes, but everything plays its part."

Rose squinted, "You're less… "

Meghan tilted her head, "Less?"

"Scattered," Rose grinned, "You seem more sure of yourself. It's nice. And I mean, you look great! That green totally matches your hair."

Meghan blushed, "Oh! Well, thanks. You look great too."

Rose chuckled, "Oh, yeah, the gown is very attractive," she joked, "Really, they couldn't make these things any more unfashionable if they tried."

Meghan shrugged, "Well, you still look good."

Rose placed a hand on Meghan's suddenly, "Hey, how long are you hanging around for? Do you have time to do dinner, or a lunch even? What about breakfast?"

"Oh, so you don't taser people who enter your room before noon anymore?" Meghan raised an eyebrow.

Rose can't help laughing, "That was Sage!" she claimed, "But no, I get up at a very respectable 7am these days."

Meghan nodded, "Very respectable," she agreed, "I'm around for the week actually. I'm actually," she lowered her voice, "well, I shouldn't be telling you this…"

Rose lent forward curiously, "Well, now you have to tell me."

Meghan smiled, "The head of journalism here contacted us a few weeks ago. Apparently, she has some recommendations for us. We always keep a spot open for new a graduate so," she shrugged.

Rose nodded, "Oh."

Meghan read the look on the younger woman's face, "Rose?"

"Well, I mean, that's great. Whoever it is, they're really lucky. Your mag is like…the ultimate goal for any writer," Rose smiled.

Meghan nodded slowly, "Didn't you get the offer on Insider?"

Rose nodded, "Sure, yeah," she said uncomittedly.

Meghan frowned, "What, you're not interested? You know, the Insider – "

"Yeah I know," Rose sighed, "It's not that I'm not appreciative, I totally am. I mean, any magazine would be great at this point. I just… I mean, Laurel isn't getting any younger…and Sage is still back in Palms… "

"You miss home," Meghan nodded, "I get it, Rose."

Rose shrugged, "Yeah, I didn't think I would, but four years… " she looked at the ground, "Email is great but…it's not… I just mean, I miss you too."

Meghan's eyes softened, "Rose, I'm always here. You know that. Where-ever you are or I am, I'm always a phone call away."

Rose nodded, "I know."

Meghan looked at the time, "Hey, I better jet to this interview…. But yes, absolutely to dinner. When are you free?"

"You should come tonight!" Rose exclaimed, "I mean, it's just Sage and Laurel, but it would be great if you could make it."

Meghan beamed, "I'd love to! Text me the details?"

* * *

"Just before you do start," Meghan said, "Could you black out the names on these?"

The head of department nodded, "Oh, of course," she took out a texta and blacked out the names, "Do you know students here?"

Meghan nodded, "A few," she replied, "I like to stay unbiased," she accepted the papers the other woman handed her, "I'll give these a read and get back to you within the next couple of days."

She shook the other woman's hand and left.

* * *

The dinner was nice. It was nice to be around the family again. Meghan hadn't seen them in a while, though they did keep in touch. Mostly, though she'd kept in touch with Rose, albeit through email. She couldn't believe it had been six years since she'd walked into their mansion and felt so incredibly out of place. Now sitting down with them felt like the norm. It was easy.

"So, you're like the boss, right?" Sage asked.

Meghan chuckled, "Well, not the boss exactly," she replied, "I still like to write when I can… if I went for the top job, I wouldn't have time… but yeah, I'm in management."

"So you gonna get Rose a job?" Sage asked expectantly.

"Now, Sage – " Laurel started.

Rose glared at her, "Sage," she sighed, "It doesn't work like that. And I don't want a job like that anyway."

Meghan smiled, a little awkwardly, "I mean, I'd love to… you know, I would," she said to Rose, "Right now, I've got a bunch of papers to read…and Rose has a bunch of offers to decide between… but I don't know, we'll just have to see. For all I know, I've got one of Rose's papers back in my room, I don't know," she shrugged.

"Wouldn't you know? Haven't you looked at the names?"

"No," Meghan shook her head, "I can't be biased, I got her to block out the names."

Sage rolled her eyes, "Of course you did."

"But, either way, Rose will get a job somewhere. She's a great writer," Meghan smiled.

"She is indeed," a quiet Laurel contributed, "And a Duke graduate," she lifted her glass, "To Rose."

* * *

Meghan tried to compose herself as she heard a knock on her door. She pulled the door open to see Rose in the doorway.

"Wow, what are you so pleased about?" Rose asked.

Meghan pulled her in to the room, "I can't wait until dinner, come in."

Rose allowed herself to be pulled in as she laughed, "Okay, okay. What is it?"

Meghan turned away, bounding over to the bed and bouncing back with a paper in her hands, presenting it to Rose.

Rose took the paper and after looking at it for a moment exclaimed, "This is my paper…what…"

"You're totally in, Rose! Yours was the strongest by far – "

"Meghan," Rose stopped her, "I meant what I said the other night. I don't want to get in because – "

Meghan put her hands on Rose's shoulder, "Rose. I didn't know it was yours until the head told me. I told you the truth, the names were blocked out, I just picked the best one… and I'm glad, and not surprised at all, it was yours."

Rose waited a second before grinning and hugging Meghan as they both jumped up and down.

"You're coming home," Meghan exclaimed, "I mean, if you want to."

Rose laughed, "Of course I want to."

Rose lent forward and pressed her lips to the surprised ones of Meghan's.

"Wow," Meghan said as the younger woman withdrew, "Um, wow."

"Um," Rose blushed, "Sorry… I don't know why I … " she ducked her head in shame.

"It's…it's okay," Meghan replied, trying to recover from the shock, "I just wasn't expecting… I didn't know…"

Rose bit her lip, "Neither did I," she admitted, "I guess I just… I mean, I've always looked up to you. You know that. I mean, you're amazing, Meghan. And you were…are…always there for me. I never had anyone to really talk to…like, honestly."

Meghan nodded, "I know," she said gently, "I was happy to be that person for you. But…you don't usually kiss your mentor…"

Rose blushed deeply again, hanging her head, "Sorry," she mumbled.

Meghan frowned, "Rose… do you…like me? Like that, I mean?"

Rose hesitated before nodding meekly.

Meghan bit her lip, pausing before placing a hand under Rose's chin, tilting it upwards to look into those wide eyes. She swept a thumb over Rose's cheek.

"I… I like you too," Meghan said quietly, before kissing Rose's lips gently.

Rose was the shocked one this time but quickly got over that and kissed back, placing a hand on the back of Meghan's neck until both ran out of breath and pulled away, looking into one another's eyes and smiling shyly.

* * *

"Is this uh extra credit, teach?"

Meghan rolled her eyes as she hovered over the smaller woman, "I can't believe you just said that," she groaned, "Besides, I wasn't your teacher."

Rose laughed, "I'm glad. That would be inappropriate."

Meghan fiddled with the ends of Rose's hair absently, "Hey, did you…like me when I actually _was_ your tutor?"

Rose frowned, "No, I don't think so," she thought aloud, "I mean, you were my friend. I looked up to you and thought you were kind of cool…in a dorky kind of way," she chuckled, "But I don't know… maybe I did. I don't think I even realised I did until I actually kissed you. Maybe I was, like, supressing it or something."

Meghan nodded, "Look at you, all psychological theories."

Rose shrugged, "Yeah, yeah. I have grown up, you know."

Meghan's lips curled into a smile, "Oh, trust me, I know," she kissed Rose's neck.

Rose felt a blush crawl onto her cheeks, "Well, you've changed too, you know."

"Have I?" Meghan continued her work as Rose lent back, exposing more of her neck, "I suppose a few years will do that… Hang on," she thought, "For the better, right?"

Rose nodded, "Well, there's no doubt you're more confident, which is pretty sexy, to be honest," she bit her tongue as soon as she said it.

Meghan stopped her work on Rose's neck, "Oh, really?" she grinned.

"Really," Rose confirmed, pressing her lips to Meghan's, "It's nice. You seem more relaxed… more happy with who you are. Which I always thought you should be cause you're pretty awesome."

Meghan smiled, "Right back at you. You're much more…in charge. It's very, very appealing."

"Jeez," Rose laughed, "With both of us so confident and in charge… who wins out?"

Meghan rolled her eyes, "Well, why does – "

Rose took the opportunity to roll the other woman onto her back, "Guess I do," she grinned.

Meghan just giggled, "Yeah, I guess you do. Hey, question for you…"

"Oh come on, you're not my tutor anymore," Rose whined.

Meghan pretended to glare at her, "I was just going to ask… have you… I mean, you mentioned in your emails a while ago about a guy you were seeing… but, what about girls? Have you…"

Rose frowned, "Oh, well, no. I mean, maybe at a party I may have drunk kissed a girl or two but nothing more than that," she shrugged, "Is that… a problem?"

"No, of course not!" Meghan rushed, "I was just curious, that's all."

Rose smiled, "Have you...?"

Meghan blushed, "Well, uh, yeah. I mean, there was this thing in college… and then last year, I hooked up with this woman at this conference… it didn't really last but," she shrugged.

"Wow, little miss experience," Rose teased, "I would never have guessed."

Meghan laughed, "Yeah, well… you know what that means."

Rose frowned, "What?"

Meghan smiled slyly, "Well… I guess it means I have something new to teach you."

Rose bit her lip, "I knew there was a reason I missed our lessons."


End file.
